Traveling cleaning apparatus



Sept. 25, 1962 R. i.. BLACK, JR 3,055,038

TRAVELING CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. l, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sr i l I g3 J r ROBERT L.. BLACKJE.

ATTORNEYS INVENTOR.'

Sept. 25, 1962 R. L. BLACK, JR

TRAVELING CLEANING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. l, 1961 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. ELACK,J2.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 25, 1962 R. BLACK, JR

TRAVELING CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS 3,tlS5,tl38 TRAVELENQT CLEANENG APPARATUS Robert L. Black, lr., Charlotte, N., assigner to Parks- Crainer Eonipany, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Ang. l, lel, Ser. No. m35/'ll lo Claims. (til. ld-l) This invention relates to traveling blower-type cleaning apparatus particularly `devised for the removal of lint, dust and other loose material from textile processing machinery and from the lioor, walls, ceiling, other surfaces and ambient air in a room containing such machinery.

A number of ditierent -types of traveling cleaners are currently being used which generally include a blower means propelled along tracks above rows ot textile machines for producing yblowing and/or suction streams of air which traverse the machines, the material in process and certain other surfaces in the room. in those types of traveling cleaners equipped with blowing outlets or nozzles which direct streams of air onto the machines, outwardly toward the walls, and/or upwardly toward the ceiling, it is obviously necessary to suck ambient air into the blower means in order to discharge air from the lowing outlets and nozzles.

In the usual traveling cleaners of the above types, no means is provided for iiltering the intake air. Since the air surrounding textile processing machinery contains more or less lint shed from the textile material during its passage therethrough, it is `a well-known tact that some of this lint or tiy is sucked into the unrestricted air inlet of a traveling blower passing over or adjacent yto it. Such lint or fly is drawn into the fan and blown through the ducts and air outlets of the cleaner. Consequently, the traveling cleaner, while blowing lint from surfaces of the machinery and material in process, at the same time, blows some of the airborne lint against the machine and product. For many years, this has been a limitation in the eliectiveness of traveling lblowers, for cleaning textile machinery and no satisfactory solution had been found heretofore. Mere covering of the air inlet with a screen or other filter medium would not suffice, because such lter would quickly become covered with lint and prevent ready passage of air therethrough.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a traveling cleaner of the type described with means tor filtering the air drawn into the blower means before it is exhausted from the blower outlets and/or nozzles and wherein means are provided for keeping the filter clean.

It is another object .of lthis invention to provide a blower-type traveling cleaner of the character described, with a rotatable housing overlying the main air inlet ot the blower casing, with at least one relatively large, preferably annular, auxiliary air inlet opening in at least one wall of the housing, preferably in the lower wall thereof, whereby air enters the housing through the auxiliary air inlet, hows over the lblower casing and into the air inlet in the top of the blower casing. A filter or oraminate screen is installed in the auxiliary inlet opening to lilter lint and the like from the air before it enters the housing and the blower casing.

Another object is to provide means for continuously cleaning the lter during rotation thereof.

It is still another object of this invention to provide means for cleaning the filter including a suction nozzle positioned closely adjacent the rotating lter, attached to and movable with the traveling cleaner, for continuously sucking lint oil the outer surface of the filter. in its preferred embodiment, the lilter cleaning suction nozzle is connected to the inlet side of a suction blower of a traveling suction licor cleaner moving in tandem with rates lelatrcnt ice the tiret-mentioned traveling cleaner so that the lint suclaed off the tilter is conveyed into a lint collection chamber movable with the suction blower.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of the character last described including wiper means engaging said rotating lilter adjacent said tilter cleaning suction nozzle to assist in dislodging lint from the tilter as it is sucked into the lter cleaning suction nozzle.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FlGUl-i l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of tre improved traveling cleaning apparatus showing a preferred embodiment of the blower housing on a traveling blower cleaner equipped with a lter and with a cleaning suction nozzle connected to the suction blower `ot a traveling suction lloor cleaner, the traveling cleaners being mounted on a trackway above textile machines and only portions of one of the textile machines being shown;

FlGURE 2 is an end elevation looking at the righthand side of FIGURE l;

PGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan View of the structure shown in FlGURE 1, but omitting the textile machine;

FlGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 4i-4 in FEGURE 3;

FiGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the tilter cleaning means taken substantially along line 5 5 in FIGURE 3;

FGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken substantially along line 6 6 in FIGURE 5.

The present apparatus is particularly adapted for use in removing lint, and other loose light material from rows ot textile machines and other surfaces in a room in which the `textile machines are located. Therefore, the present apparatus is shown mounted upon a trackway 10 which extends longitudinally above a spinning frame 11. Spinning frame 1i is representative of a. row of machines above which the suction blower of a traveling suction lioor cleaner A and the blower unit of a traveling blower cleaner B are mounted, and to which movement may be effected substantially as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,011,763 issued to W. B. Hodge et al. on August 2G, i935.

ln this instance, trackway 10 includes a pair of tracks l2, 13 supported on brackets 14 which are, in turn, supported on the upper ends of posts 15, only one of which is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Posts 15 may be supported upon the spinning frame, as shown, or the floor between adjacent spinning frames as desired.

The traveling suction lioor cleaner may be of a type described and claimed in a copending application of Grover B. Holtzclaw, filed September 8, 1958, Serial No. 759,797, now Patent No. 2,011,202, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Therefore, only so much of the traveling suction floor cleaner A will be described as is deemed necessary to clearly describe its manner of cooperation with the traveling blower cleaner B.

It will be observed in FIGURES l and 3 that the travcling suction tloor cleaner A comprises a centrifugal blower in the form of a volute upper blower casing 20 having a substantially circular body 21 provided with an ottset outlet portion 22 to which one end of a box-like traveling collection chamber Z3 is communicatively connected. The upper wall of chamber 23 has a suitable foraminated or screened opening 24 therein which serves as a tilter through which air escapes from the collection chamber 23 leaving behind the bers and other particles 3,0 3 directed into the collection chamber from the volute casing 21.

The free end of collection chamber 23 is provided with a normally closed screened or foraminated door 25 which 1s pivotally connected to the bottom wall of collection chamber 23. Door 25 is opened periodically for discharging the contents of the collection chamber into a stationary waste receptacle, not shown.

The blower casing 20 rests upon and is suitably secured to a lower or suction casing 3i). The proximal walls of casings 20', 30 are open t0 provide communication therebetween. The lower wall of suction casing 3@ is suitably secured to and encircles the enlarged upper portion of an electric motor 31 having an impeller wheel or fan 32 mounted on its shaft and positioned within the upper, blower casing 20.

Electric motor 31 rides upon a carriage 33 shown in the form of a gear box fixed to or formed integral with the housing of electric motor 31 and having suitable rollers 34 thereon which ride upon tracks 12, 13. One or more of the rollers 34 may be driven by electric motor 31 substantially as disclosed in said patent.

Suction casing 30 is provided with a pair of substantially diametrically opposed, radially and outwardly extending ducts 37 which communicate with casing 30 and each of which curves downwardly at its free end. rlhe free end of each duct 37 has a tube 40, preferably of pliable or flexible construction, communicatively connected thereto and depending therefrom. A flared or substantially bell-shaped suction nozzle 431 is communicatively connected to the lower end of each tube di).

The lower end of each nozzle 41 is disposed in close proximity to the iioor F on which the machines of FIG- URE 1 are located. Thus, as the traveling suction floor cleaner A moves along trackway impeller wheel 32 creates a continuous suction current at each suction nozzle 41 which causes lint and other light particles upon the oor F to be drawn into each nozzle 4l, through the respective tubes 40, into ducts 37 and suction casing 30. The suction current then passes upwardly into blower casing where it is converted into a blowing or positive air pressure current which passes outwardly through the outlet portion 22 of blower casing 2G and into the traveling collection chamber 23.

It is with a travelingr suction floor cleaner of the character last described that the present traveling blower cleaner B is particularly adapted to be associated. In addition to cleaning the floor of the textile mill, the traveling suction floor cleaner A serves as a source of suction for a filter cleaning means of the present invention associated with the traveling blower cleaner B, although it is to be distinctly understood that other means may be provided for producing suction in the filter cleaning means to be later described.

Blower cleaner B is equally adapted to be associated with other types of traveling suction cleaners such as is described and claimed in a copending application of Robert L. Black, Jr., filed April 2l, 1961, Serial No. 105,073, for example.

Traveling Blower Cleaner The blower-type traveling cleaner B comprises a blower unit including an electric motor 50 which rides upon a carriage 51 (FIGURE 4) in the form of a gear box fixed to or formed integral with the housing of electric motor 50 and also having suitable rollers S2 thereon which ride upon tracks 12, 13. One or more of the rollers 52 .may be driven by electric motor Sil substantially as disclosed in said patent. However, since the carriages 33, 51 of traveling cleaners A, B are interconnected in the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, it is apparent that the rollers on only one of the carriages must be driven to propel both of the traveling cleaners A, B along trackway 1li. In this instance, the carriages 3x3, 51 are interconnected by a pair 'A of longitudinally extensibly adjustable links or connecting rods 54, 55 (FIGURE l), opposed ends of which are suitably pivotally secured to the carriages 33, 51.

Electric motor 56 of traveling blower cleaner B has a shaft 6@ thereon which preferably rotates about a vertical axis and on which a hub 61 of an impeller 62 is fixedly mounted. Impeller 62 is preferably s0 constructed as to minimize the height of the improved blower unit of traveling cleaner B above trackway 10, and to also direct air downwardly and then radially outwardly with respect to motor Si). Accordingly, impeller 62. comprises a plurality of circularly spaced main blades 63 of inverted substantially L-shaped construction which may be suitably secured to, but are preferably cast integral with, an inverted cup-shaped blade support 64 whose annular side wall preferably diverges downwardly and has an outwardly projecting annular flange 65 thereon to which the lower ends of the main fan blades or impeller blades 63 are connected.

The blades 63 and the upper planar portion of blade support 64 are suitably connected to and preferably formed integral with hub 61. It will be noted that the annular side wall of lblade Support 64 and the lower portions of impeller blades 63 surround motor 50 so that the lower portions of the blades 63 of impeller 62 are positioned within a lower or first volute casing or chamber 67 and the upper portions of the blades 63 are positioned within an upper or second volute casing or chamber, broadly designated at 70. Upper casing 70 rotates relative to casing 67. Therefore, although the lower and upper casings 67, 70 move with carriage 51 along trackway 10, lower casing 67 may be termed as a stationary casing and upper casing 70 may be termed as a rotary casing. The two casings 67, 70 collectively form a composite centrifugal blower.

Lower casing 67 is in the form of a hollow body which is substantially circular or elliptical in plan and has a pair of substantially radially extending offset air outlet portions 7l, 72 thereon, which serve as spouts or ducts for directing streams of air outwardly substantially radially of impeller 62. Each duct 71, 72 preferably curves downwardly at its free end and has a tube 73, preferably of pliable or flexible construction, communicatively connected thereto and depending therefrom.

in this instance, each tube 73 is provided with a plurality of outlet openings or orices 74 for directing blasts of air inwardly against various parts of the spinning frame 11. Orifices 74 may also direct blasts of air against or along the oor upon which rests the spinning frame 11. One side of the downwardly curved end of each duct 71, 72 may be provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined tubular member 75, for directing a stream of air toward the drafting rolls, for example, of `spinning frame 11. Each duct may also be provided with a Creel-cleaning tube 76 depending therefrom and having orifices 77 for directing blasts of air toward the creels of spinning frames 11.

The central portion of lower casing 67 may be supported on lmotor Sil by any suitable means such as a plurality of circularly arranged angle brackets 78, which extend outwardly and have a bottom wall 79 of lower casing 67 suitably secured thereto. Bottom wall 79 of lower casing 67 is provided with an air inlet opening `81 through which motor 5t) extends. Opening 81 is of substantially greater diameter than motor 50* to permit a suflicient volume of air to be admitted to impeller 62 to prevent overheating of motor 50. In order to induce the flow of air past the body of motor 50, the inner surface of the annular wall of inverted cup-shaped support 64 has a plurality of circularly spaced cooling ns 82 thereon to thus produce a circulation of air around electric motor Sil.

As heretofore stated, the upper or second volute casing 70 is arranged to rotate relative to the lower or stationary casing 67, and the same impeller 62 causes circulation of air through both casings 67, 70. Accordingly, upper casing comprises a substantially circular body 83 provided with a pair of substantially diametrically opposed, offset, outlet portions 84, (FIGURE 3) for directing streams of air outwardly, which streams of air move in a substantially rotary path with rotation of upper casing 70.

Substantially U-shaped extensions or nozzles S7, Sti are suitably secured to or formed integral with, and extend outwardly from the outlet portions d4, S5. Opposed side walls of the U-shaped extension 37 have a suitable outwardly and upwardly curved deflector element @il (FIG- URE 2) suitably secured to medial portions thereof so that a blast of air is directed outwardly in a substantially horizontal path from that portion of nozzle S7 below deiieetor 9S', and a blast of air is also directed upwardly in a somewhat angular path from the nozzle 7 above deflector 9u. Nozzle '88 also has a curved deflector element 91 extending between the side wall portions thereof (FIG- URES 3 and 4). However, in this instance, deflector element 91 is suitably secured to the upper surface of the bottom wall of outlet portion 88 and curves outwardly and upwardly so as to deflect the flow of air from outlet portion 8d upwardly at an angle toward the ceiling and upper portions of the walls of the room in which the apparatus is used.

ln order to facilitate adjustment of deiiector element 91 and thereby vary the angle at which air from upper casing 7b leaves nozzle 88, deiiector element 91 is preferably made from a iiexible material, such as sheet metal, and its lower surface, adjacent the free end thereof, is engaged by the upper edge of an inwardly and outwardly adjustable bracket 92 whose lower portion has an adjustment slot 93 therein penetrated by a bolt 94 for securing the same to the upper surface of the bottom wall of nozzle 83. It is apparent that inward adjustment of bracket 92 causes deflector element 91 to extend at a generally steeper angle relative to the bottom of nozzle 88, and outward adjustment of bracket 92 causes dellector element 91 to extend at a more shallow angle relative to nozzle 8S.

Upper casing 70 is supported for rotation upon lower casing 67 through intervening elements including an annular grooved or V-pulley 95 which preferably, but not necessarily, has an annular bearing race 96 suitably secured to the lower surface thereof. Bearing race 96 rides upon a similar annular bearing race 97 suitably secured to the upper wall of lower casing 67. The bottom wall of upper casing 70, indicated at 101i, is suitably secured to the upper surface of grooved pulley 95. As shown in FIGURE 4, the bottom Wall of upper casing 76, grooved pulley 95, and bearing race 96 may be secured together by any suitable means, such as bolts 101.

The top wall of lower casing 67 and bottom wall 10@ of upper casing 7u are provided with respective openings therein which are substantially concentric with impeller 62, and these openings, with the bottom race 97 and annular pulley 95, collectively define an opening 102 through which extend the blades 63 of impeller 62, and through which air flows as it is `drawn into upper casing 7) through an opening 103 in the top wall of upper casing 75l. It is apparent that, as air flows through the inlet opening 1113, some of the air is exhausted through the outlet portions 84, $5 and respective nozzles 87, SS of upper casing 70, and the remainder of the air drawn into inlet opening 1%3 of impeller 62 is directed radially outwardly from the lower portions of the blades 63 because of the inner edges of the lower portions of the blades being interconnected by the annular wall of inverted cupshaped support 6d so the air flows outwardly through the ducts 71, 72 and tubes 73, 75, 76 and is exhausted through the orifices 74, 77 and the tubes 75 onto various parts of the textile machines, and the floor, beneath trackway 1).

ln order to maintain upper casing 7G substantially concentric with irnpeller 62, the upper wall of casing 711 has a spider member 165 suitably secured thereto, the legs of which overlie air inlet opening 103 and are interconnected 6 at their proximal ends by a bearing block 107 preferably formed integral with the legs of spider 10S. Bearing block 107 is journaled on the upper end of motor shaft 60.

In order to impart rotation to upper casing 70 at a relatively slow speed as compared to that of impeller 62 with movement of the traveling blower cleaner B along trackway 10, an endless belt 110 is entrained about grooved pulley 95 and also engages a relatively small V-pulley 111 (FIGURES 2 and 3) fixed on the upper end of a shaft 112 journaled in a bracket 113. Bracket 113 is adjustably secured to one side of arm or duct portion 71 of lower casing 67 so as to be adjusted toward and away from upper casing 70 for taking up any slack in the belt 1141. Accordingly, bracket 113 is provided with adjustment slots therein penetrated by screws 115 for securing the same lto duct 71 of lower casing 67.

An outwardly projecting portion 116 of bracket 113 is penetrated by a threaded shaft or take-up screw 117 which also penetrates a threaded angle clip or stationary bracket 120 suitably secured to one side of duct 71 of lower casing 67. The outer end of take-up screw 117 preferably has a lock nut 121 threaded thereon for maintaining bracket 113 in the desired adjusted position.

The lower end of shaft 112 in FIGURE 2 has a bevel gear 122 fixed thereon -which meshes with another bevel gear 123 fixed on a stub shaft 124 journaled. in the lower portion of bracket 113. As heretofore stated, carriage 51 is supported on trackway 10 by rollers 52. At least one of the rollers 52 is fixed on a shaft `|125. A connecting shaft 126 is universally connected to the proximal ends of shafts 124, 125. Thus, shaft 125 imparts rotation to upper casing 67 through the intervening connections heretofore described, while lower casing 67 remains stationary with respect to the carrialge 51, but while the blower unit moves bodily along the trackway 10.

It is apparent, therefore, that lower casing 67 acts to 4direct outwardly a portion of the currents of air from impeller 62 in streams of substantially constant direction, while upper casing 7d directs portions of the air outwardly from the upper casing 70 in the form of revolving or rotating streams, so that a single impeller serves to direct currents of air outwardly and dor-vnwardly for cleaning various parts of the machines above which the blower unit moves, and also serves to direct one or more currents of air outwardly, as well as outwardly and upwardly, while moving the latter currents in a rotary path so as to remove lint and other loose material from the ceiling and walls and other overhead objects in the room in which the machines are disposed.

As stated heretofore, in those types of prior art traveling cleaners equipped with blowing outlets or nozzles which direct streams of air onto textile machines, outwardly toward the walls and upwardly toward the ceiling of the room, it has been necessary to suck ambient air into the blower means, which ambient air would include a substantial amount of lint. Thus, the blowing streams of air discharged from such outlets and nozzles would drect the lint sucked into the inlet of the blower means back onto the machine, the material in process, and onto other adjacent surfaces, thus reducing the efficiency of the blowing streams of air in removing dust and other light material from the machines, the material in process, and other adjacent surfaces.

Therefore, I have provided novel means for filtering the air drawn into the blower unit before it is exhausted from the blower outlets and/ or nozzles, along with means for keeping the filter clean. A preferred embodiment of such filtering means and lter cleaning means will now be described.

In order to lessen the tendency of spray from the usual humidifying systems suspended from the ceiling of the room above the traveling blower cleaner B from entering the air inlet opening 103 of upper casing 70, I have provided a shielding housing 130, somewhat in the form of a canopy, which substantially encloses the upper portion of the blower unit. In this instance, the shielding housing 130 substantially encloses the upper volute casing 70. Housing 130 comprises an upper, preferably circular, imperforate wall 131 spaced substantially above the upper wall of upper casing 70. Upper wall `131 preferably has a suitable access opening a therein closed by a removable cover plate b suitably secured to upper wall 131, as by screws c.

Upper wall 131 of housing 130 may be of very nearly the same diameter as the mean diameter of the body 83 of upper casing 70, and has a substantially annular frusto-conical side wall 132 connected thereto and extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom. The lower edge of frusto-conical side wall 132 is connected to or formed integral with a relatively short, annular, upright side wall portion 133 to which an inwardly projecting annular bottom wall or flange 134 is connected. The proximal surfaces of bottom wall 134 of housing 130 and bottom ywall 100 of upper volute casing 70 define an annular auxiliary air inlet opening 135 therebetween which preferably encircles upper volute casing 70. Thus, in effect, annular opening 135 is formed in the bottom wall of shielding housing 130.

It is apparent that annular side wall 132 could also extend in vertical alinement with the narrow side wall portion 133 and the top Wall 13 of housing 130 could be correspondingly increased in diameter.

It should be noted that shield housing 134i is connected to upper casing 70 so as lto rotate therewith, by means of a plurality of circularly spaced support posts 140 fixed to the proximal surfaces of the top wall of the upper casing 70 and the top Wall 131 of shielding housing 130. Posts 14) also maintain top wall 131 of shielding housing 130 in sufficiently spaced relationship above the top wall of upper casing 70 so that air may flow into housing 130 through the annular opening 135 in the bottom wall 134 thereof, over the top wall of upper casing 70 and thus inwardly through the main air inlet opening 103 of upper casing 70.

I have provided an annular filter 141 in the annular opening 135 to prevent lint from entering the blower. The filter 141 is preferably formed of relatively thin sheet metal, such as stainless steel, which is suitably perforated to permit air to readily ow therethrough into housing 130, while preventing airborne lint from entering housing 130. If desired, the filtered air inlet could be located in side wall 132 or in top wall 131 instead of at the bottom of the rotating member, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The filter 141 should be smooth and free of burrs at r the perforatiions thereof. Thus, if the filter is made from stainless steel, it has been found desirable to treat or coat the filter 141 with a plastic material, such as Teiion, so that lint which collects thereon may be easily removed as by suction or brushing.

Means are provided for continuously cleaning the outside surface of lter 141 during rotation thereof with upper casing 70 so as to permit continuous `and efficient inward iiow of clean yair into the air inlet opening 1G13 of upper casing 70. In its preferred embodiment, the filter cleaning means comprises a relatively narrow, elongate suction nozzle 145 whose mouth should be of substanti-ally the same length as the width of annular filter 141. The mouth of suction nozzle 145 is spaced immediately below and in registration with the filter 141.

Suction nozzle 145- is suitably connected to traveling blowing cleaner B so yas to travel therewith while remaining stationary with respect to the rotating filter 141. In other words, means are provided for effecting relative movement between filter 141 tand suction nozzle 145?. In this instance, it will be observed in FIGURE 5 that the lower portion of suction nozzle 145 is suitably secured to the side wall of lower casing 67. rlhe suction nozzle 145 may be connected to any suitable source of suction so arranged that suction nozzle 145 can move with the traveling blower cleaner B. Of course, it is highly desirable that such source of suction includes means for collecting and storing the lint drawn into suction nozzle 145.

In its preferred embodiment, the suction nozzle is connected to the inlet side of the traveling suction floor cleaner A. To this end, it will be observed in FIGURES 1 and 3 that one end of `a flexible tube oi' conduit 15) is communicatively connected to the lower end of nozzle 145, and the other end thereof is connected to the side wall of suction casing Sti of traveling suction fioor cleaner A for communication with the interior of suction casing Sti. A medial portion of flexible tube 151i may be suitably secured to connecting rod 54, as by a strap metal clamp ring 151.

It is thus seen that, during rotation of filter 141, it moves continuously past suction nozzle 145, and suction nozzle 145 sucks any accumulation of lint and other light material off the lower surface of filter 141. The lint sucked ofi the filter 141 by nozzle 145 is thus drawn through iexible tube 15d, into suction casing 3ft of traveling suction fioor cleaner A, into blower casing 2b and is thus blown into traveling collection chamber 23. Thus, traveling collection chamber 23 serves as a collector for the lint and other light material removed from the lower surface of annular filter 141 by suction nozzle 145i.

A suitable brush or wiper element 155` is preferably provided on, within or adjacent the mouth of suction nozzle 145 to assist in ydislodging any lint and other light material from the lower surface of `annular screen 141. In this instance, wiper element or brush 155' is shown as being secured to and extending between opposed end wall portions of the mouth of suction nozzle 145, from which brush 155 extends upwardly and yieldably engages the lower surface of filter 141.

It is `thus seen that I have provided novel means for preventing airborne lint from being discharged from the blowing outlets and/ or nozzles of the traveling blowing cleaner B, without interrupting or retarding the inward flow of air through the blower unit thereof, to any material extent, and wherein means are provided for filtering the air and continuously cleaning the filter and disposing of the lint and other light material removed from the filter, thereby insuring that clean air is discharged from the blowing outlets `and/ or nozzles of the traveling blower cleaner B and greatly increasing the efficiency of such blowing outlets and nozzles in preventing the accumulation of lint on the machines, floor, ceiling, walls and other objects in the room of a textile mill.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for the disposition of lint and other light material in a textile mill having means causing said `apparatus to travel over a textile manufacturing operation, said apparatus including a blower having air inlet means and air outlet means; the combination therewith of means at the inlet means for filtering air sucked into said inlet means, means traveling with said apparatus producing a suction air current adjacent la portion of the `air inlet surface of said filtering means for cleaning the same, and means traveling with said apparatus for collecting material cleaned from the filter means by said suction air current.

2. A structure according to claim 1, in which said means for producing a suction air current comprises a suction nozzle positioned adjacent the side of said filter means toward which air flows as it is sucked into said inlet means, means effecting relative traversing movement between the filter means and said suction nozzle, and said suction nozzle being connected to a source of suction,

whereby said nozzle sucks accumulation of lint and other light material on the lter means away from said filter means.

3. A structure according to claim 1, in which said 'blower comprises a casing, said air inlet means including an air inlet in said casing, a housing substantially enclosing at least the air inlet portion of said casing and including a portion extending outwardly of said casing, a wall defining said last-mentioned portion of said housing, said wall having an opening therein through which air passes in its course to the inlet of said casing, and said means for filtering air sucked into said inlet comprising a filter covering said opening.

4. A structure according to claim 3, in which the opening in said wall substantially circumscribes said casing.

5. A structure according to claim 4, in which said means for cleaning said filtering means comprises a suction nozzle positioned closely adjacent the surface of said filter toward which air is moved by said blower and being connected to a source of suction, and means for rotating said housing to move said surface of said lter in a plane adjacent said suction nozzle whereby said suction nozzle continuously sucks lint off said lter during the inward flow of air therethrough.

6. A structure according to claim 5, including wiper means adjacent said suction nozzle and adjacent which said filter moves in engagement therewith to assist the suction nozzle in removing lint and other light material from said filter.

7. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for the disposition of lint and other light material in a textile mill having machines arranged in rows therein, said apparatus including a traveling blower having air inlet means and air outlet means, nozzle means connected to said outlet means, and means for moving said blower longitudinally of and above the machines in a row; the combination therewith of means for filtering air sucked into said inlet means before it is exhausted from said nozzle means, means producing at least one moving stream of air adjacent the face of said filtering means toward which air is moved by said blower for removing lint from said face, and means movable with said apparatus for collecting the lint so removed.

8. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for the disposition of lint and other light material in a textile mill having machines arranged in rows therein, said apparatus including a traveling blower having air inlet means and air outlet means, nozzle means connected to said outlet means, and means for moving said blower longitudinally of and above the machines in a row; the combination therewith of means for ltering air sucked into said inlet means before it is exhausted from said nozzle means, suction means for removing lint from the face of said filtering means toward which the air is moved by said blower, and means movable with said apparatus for collecting the lint so removed.

9. A structure according to claim 8, having a traveling suction cleaner in tandem with said traveling blower, said suction cleaner including a suction blower having an air inlet side and an air outlet side, and a collection chamber connected to said suction blower for collecting lint sucked by said suction blower; said suction means for removing lint from said ltering means comprising a suction nozzle adjacent said ltering means, means to effect relative traversing movement between said suction nozzle and said filtering means, means communicatively connecting said nozzle to said inlet side of said suction blower, and said collector chamber serving as said collecting means.

10. A structure according -to claim 8, having a traveling suction cleaner in tandem with said traveling blower, said suction cleaner including a suction 4blower having an air inlet side and an air outlet side, and a collection chamber connected to said outlet side; said suction means for removing lint from said filtering means comprising a lili suction nozzle adjacent said filtering means, means to effect relative traversing movement between said suction nozzle and said filtering means, means communicatively connecting said nozzle to said inlet side of said suction blower, and said collection chamber serving as said co1- lecting means.

ll. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for blowing lint and other light material olf of textile machines and other surfaces in a mill and having means causing said apparatus to travel over a textile manufacturing operation, said apparatus including a blower casing having at least one air outlet and at least one air inlet, and means for drawing air into said inlet and exhausting the air from said outlet; the combination of a substantially annular filter through which air must flow before it enters said inlet, means for revolving said filter about an axis substantially concentric therewith, and suction means traveling with said blower casing and positioned adjacent said filter for continuously cleaning the same as it revolves.

l2'. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for blowing lint and other light material off of textile machines and other surfaces in a mill and having means causing said apparatus to travel over a textile manufacturing operation, said apparatus including a blower casing having at least one air outlet and at least one air inlet, and means for drawing air into said inlet and exhausting the air from said outlet; the combination of a lter through which air must flow before it enters said inlet, suction means traveling with said apparatus and positioned adjacent said filter for cleaning the same, means for producing relative movement between said filter and said suction cleaning means to subject substantially all areas of the lter to the cleaning action of the suction cleaning means, and means traveling with said apparatus for collecting material cleaned by the suction cleaning means.

13. ln a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for blowing lint and other light material olf of textile machines and other surfaces in a mill, said apparatus including a blower casing movable above a row of said machines, said casing having at least one air outlet and at least one air inlet, and means for drawing air into said inlet and exhausting the air from said outlet; the combination of a substantially annular filter through which air must flow before it enters said inlet, means for moving said filter about an axis substantially concentric therewith, and a suction nozzle movable with said blower casing and positioned adjacent the path of movement of said filter for sucking lint and other light material off the surface of the filter opposite from said inlet.

14. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for blowing lint and other light material off of textile machines and other surfaces in a mill and having means causing said apparatus to travel over a textile manufacturing operation, said apparatus including a blower casing movable above a row of said machines, said casing having at least one air outlet and at least one air inlet, and means for drawing air into said inlet and exhausting the air from said outlet; the combination of a lter through which air must iiow before it enters said inlet, a cleaning element comprising a suction nozzle and a wiper, said cleaning element being positioned adjacent said filter and traveling with said apparatus, means effecting relative movement between the filter and the cleaning element, and means collecting material cleaned from the lter by the cleaning element.

15. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for blowing lint and other light material off of textile machines, the oor, walls and other surfaces in a textile mill, said apparatus including a lower stationary casing movable above a row of machines, an upper casing rotatable above said lower casing, a driven air impeller common to both casings, each of said casings having air outlet means, and said upper casing having an air inlet; the combinaspaanse tion of a housing at least partially enclosing said upper casing and including means enclosing said air inlet, means for rotating said housing, a substantially annular foraminate lter in said housing through which air ilows in its course to said air inlet, said iilter being substantially concentric with the aXis of rotation of said housing and rotatable with said housing, and means adjacent the path of travel of said filter for cleaning lint and other light material off the outer surface of said filter.

16. In a traveling blowing cleaning apparatus for blowing lint and other light material oi of textile machines, the floor, walls and other surfaces in a textile mill, said apparatus including a lower stationary casing movable above a row of machines, an upper casing rotatable above said lower casing, means for circulating air through both casings, each of said casings having air outlet means, and said upper casing having an air inlet in its upper portion; the combination of a housing at least partially enclosing said upper casing and including means overlying said air inlet, means for rotating said housing and said upper casing, a substantially annular foraminate filter in said housing through which air flows in its course to said air inlet, said filter being substantially concentric with the aXis of rotation of said housing and rotatable with said housing, suction means movable with said apparatus and positioned adjacent the path of travel of said ilter for cleaning lint and other light material off the outer surface of said filter, and collector means connected to said suction means for `collecting the latter material.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,184,732 Brewer Dec. 26, 1939 2,795,291 Pierce June 11, 1957 2,823,656 Dolza Feb. 18, 1958 2,976,558 Fain Mar. 28, 1961 3,001,222 Preston Sept. 26, 1961 3,003,1178 McEachern Oct. 10, 1961 3,011,204 Holtzclaw Dec. 5, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,455 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1939 1,178,163 France Dec. 8, 1958 1,226,751 France Feb. 29, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Parks-Cramer Publication No. 411, published Sept. 25, 1958 (1 page). 

